A tragedy in the IP owners family

I'm more than sad and depressed to pass along to the group the tragic news that an IP 380 co-owner has been lost at sea and presumed dead. I didn't know the Andersons, but feel a deep sense of loss at this news. This was my worst fear when sailing offshore in my own IP 380. Tragic and heart-wrenching.

From www.cruisingworld.com/news/tragedy-at-sea

"Triple Stars, an Island Packet 380 that was participating in the North American Rally to the Caribbean (NARC), had been making slow progress toward Bermuda and sat hove-to for a time to wait out the storms - first a nor'easter then Tropical Storm Sean. The doublehanded crew, Rob and Jan Anderson, were still about 285 miles northwest of Bermuda when a reportedly 30-foot wave washed Jan overboard. The Coast Guard received an EPIRB signal from Triple Stars at 13:39 on November 11th and a radio distress call from Rob about five minutes later.

The Coast Guard directed merchant vessel High Jupiter to the area, which removed Rob from Triple Stars. The search for Jan that followed covered 1,735 square miles.

Coast Guard report coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-suspends-...-bermuda/2011/11/12/

Triple Stars' Sail Blog www.sailblogs.com/member/triplestars/"

I was at sea when this happened as crew on a friend's boat going to the Caribbean. We were south of where this happened and there were large rollers but the weather was far rougher for them and the other NARC participants. It is always a shock to hear of such a tragedy and we have kept the family in our prayers since we became aware of what happened.

Dave and Barbara

It is sad to read about Triple Star's tragedy. Their story was familiar to everyone in the cruising community. I was bringing my recently purchased IP 380 from Oxford, Md to St. Pete during this timeline. We cleared Norfolk and made it south to Morehead City during much of the nasty NEaster. Singlehanding offshore from Morehead City to Charleston I was acutely aware of the conditions and grateful for the safe passage.

I was fortunate to make it to St. Pete with no issues and sad to learn of this tragedy.

Fair winds and calm seas for those of us who enjoy and respect the oceans.

Bill Mills
KOKOPELLI III

It is unfortunate, but the outcome was predictable.

A PFD or tether would have prevented Jan being washed overboard.

Complacency kills, and so does keeping a schedule.

Island Packets are great boats and the fact that so buy them and circumnavigate speaks volumes for the build and brand.

(original posts were modified and toned down)

I think you're wrong on more than one count here.

The Andersons were not novices. They departed California in 2007 so they'd been cruising for 3 or 4 years at least. That put them in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and they transited the Panama Canal. Most likely they had years of sailing experience before ever leaving California.

You mentioned the lack of harness and PFD and call them complacent. You also say they were keeping a schedule instead of watching the weather. From what I read they were at the back of the pack because they had hove to and were in constant contact with a weather router (Herb Hildenberg) leading up to this disaster. Without actually having been there it's just not right to second guess on this. At least in my opinion.

I am sorry if I struck a nerve with you. I have no doubt that things got real out there.

Not wearing a PFD in those conditions and not being tethered is what I call being complacent.

Leaving on a rally Nov 1 is early in the season and what I meant by keeping a schedule, not hove to.

And yes I do know IP's, I've owned three and they are great boats. They are not the only ones that get purchased by people with little experience. I've met people who were on the Baja Ha Ha that admitted to me that they had never raised the sails before leaving on the rally, ever. I am not saying this is the case here but I do know first hand how real things get out there and experience and training counts for a lot. IP's are great boats and one of lesser quality would very likely never have made it through.